August 22, 2014

FREDONIA - A State University of New York at Fredonia official says the state comptroller's report released this morning critical of the university's crime statistics is a "simple misunderstanding."

Michael Barone, director of marketing and communications at the university, said the information in the report was the result of a "clerical error."

"On the website only, there was a clerical error in transferring of data ... and that was inaccurately reported," Barone said this morning. "Nothing was inaccurately reported to any governmental agency."

Barone said he has been in touch with the state comptroller's office in Albany regarding the report, which was released this morning by Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's office. The report correctly indicated that Fredonia made 59 drug arrests, 21 liquor arrests, one liquor referral and five weapons arrests in 2012. It inaccurately noted that those incidents were not reported to the Department of Education.

Barone, however, said all those incidents were reported.

On May 6, the university was made aware of the erroneous online report, Barone said, in which each category had no reported incidents. "We were made aware of the error and immediately corrected it," he said.

As for the reporting of crimes, Barone said it is a priority for the university and its officials. "We would never purposely underreport this data. It's far too important (to our college community)."